Liverpool left ‘furious’ by injury to keeper who delivered on transfer promise

Adrian San Miguel was less than week into his Liverpool career when he was thrust into the spotlight.

Signed as a free agent in early August of 2019, Adrian, as someone with 150 Premier League appearances to his name, said all the right things upon his Anfield arrival, namely about providing real competition for Alisson Becker, who was the undisputed No.1 for a team who had won the Champions League just two months earlier.

“I’m very ambitious, I come here to try to win everything, to try to push Ali from the first minute and to make us better,” said Adrian. “Obviously I want to win titles. I come here to fight for all the competitions. We have many competitions ahead – we’re going to fight for it and try to get them.”

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Privately, however, the veteran might have expected a more gentle introduction into life with the European champions. Having spent the majority of the summer as a free agent working with just a goalkeeping coach in Seville, such a dramatic re-introduction in English football could not have been imagined. A third-round trip to MK Dons in the Carabao Cup in September should have been where the pin was placed on the calendar with regards to a first start for Adrian.

Just days into his Liverpool tenure – one that has now officially come to an end – Adrian was instead being asked to deputise for Alisson for a spell that would last nearly two-and-a-half months. A carnival atmosphere greeted the team at Anfield when they returned home for their first competitive match as European champions on a warm Friday evening against newly-promoted Norwich City on August 9.

Fears that there could be a hangover from failing to usurp Manchester City as Premier League champions a few months earlier, despite a points haul of 97, were quickly dispelled as Liverpool ran out 4-1 winners with a convincing performance.

And for Adrian, it would mark his Reds debut as he came on to replace Alisson, who suffered a calf injury as he took a first-half goal kick. Suddenly, Suddenly Adrian was set for a spell as Liverpool’s first-choice for the following 10 weeks with Andy Lonergan drafted in as back-up.

Just days later Adrian was tasked with performing in goal for the Reds in Istanbul as the Champions League holders met Europa League winners Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup. A 2-2 draw on the night at Vodafone Park allowed Adrian to become the shootout hero. Liverpool, penalties and parading European trophies in Istanbul; Adrian was maintaining a proud club tradition that night.

Having experienced an intense, whirlwind opening week or so as a Liverpool player, there was to be more drama for Adrian when he hurt his ankle after a jubilant supporter accidentally slid into him after gatecrashing the pitch to celebrate. It was an incident that left Liverpool furious.

“When we were all together [celebrating], a supporter jumped over something, was chased by some security guys, slipped and kicked his ankle,” Klopp confirmed. “It’s crazy.” Privately, the Reds boss was more candid in his frustrations over the incident, which was the third European game in succession involving Liverpool that had been marred by pitch-invaders.

“Today I feel much better,” Adrian later said as fears grew over potential third-choice Lonergan keeping goal for a tricky trip to Southampton. “It was a strange, weird situation because we were celebrating between us and one guy jumped from the crowd and started running.

“I think he slipped in front of us and also the security with him and made a tackle on me from the side. It was a bit of a strange situation but I feel much better today and I hope [I’m] ready for tomorrow.”

He eventually proved his fitness, but Reds fans were made to endure a nervy finish when Adrian, bad ankle and all, made a hash of a clearance under pressure from Danny Ings to gift Southampton a way back into the game after goals from Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

Liverpool held on to secure their second victory of a 10-game winning sequence they enjoyed while Adrian deputised for Alisson. Eight of those came in the Premier League and having played for most of the opener at home to Norwich, Adrian could quite rightly claim his winners’ medal with pride as the Reds eventually ended their 30-year wait for a league title by amassing 99 points in the historic 2019/20 campaign.

A suspension for Alisson later that season meant Adrian also started the 5-2 hammering over Everton in December at Anfield before he once more kept goal as an otherwise young Reds team beat the Blues in an FA Cup tie the following month.

Another injury for Alisson saw Adrian play the second leg of the last-16 Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid at Anfield as the Reds’ defence of the European Cup came to an end with a 3-2 defeat. Criticism arrived for the Spanish shot-stopper but well over four years on, the match is eerily and controversially remembered as the last one before COVID-19 really took hold across the world. It was Anfield’s last for three months and it was around 18 before supporters returned in full.

The lion’s share of Adrian’s 26 Liverpool games came that season as he turned in 18 times in total for the Reds. In more recent years, the former West Ham United man has dropped further down the pecking order in favour of the emerging Caoimhin Kelleher, the now 37-year-old has remained a popular member of the squad however.

He was part of the team that beat Ajax 1-0 in the Champions League in October 2020, which came just days after he had played in a now infamous 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park. His sixth and final appearance of that campaign came in a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in late February.

“I’m so happy for him, he deserves that,” said Klopp after that game. “He showed pure class and top character. He showed all his personality. If you want, he is now number three (goalkeeper) but in the dressing room you will never see any difference. He is just a very strong character and helps the team even when he’s not playing. Here he helped on the pitch a lot and I’m really happy for him.”

Kelleher really took over as second choice under Klopp for the 2021/22 campaign – one that saw the Ireland international star at Wembley to help Liverpool win the Carabao Cup and see himself immortalised on the Goalkeepers Wall mural at the AXA Training Centre which seeks to recognise the shot-stoppers who have helped the club win trophies. Adrian, due to his Super Cup heroics, was already part of the artwork. That is his Liverpool legacy.

He was a goalkeeper that always proved to be a dependable deputy when called upon, such as in the Community Shield victory over Manchester City two years ago, which will be his final outing in Liverpool colours. That July 2022 victory, in fact, was his final outing.

“In five years you have shown me so many things,” Adrian said in a video posted to social media on Sunday evening. “That wearing the Liverpool shirt and defending the Liverpool badge at Anfield should be added to the seven wonders of the world. That 11 yards is nothing when it comes to winning a title.

“That London is really Anfield South. That the Scouse accent is not difficult, it is for chosen and special people. That tradition must be protected. That You Will Never Walk alone is not just an anthem, it is a philosophy of life. Even that only three letters, K.O.P, can lift you up in the hardest moments.

“Now, it’s time for me to share all these experiences I have learned. I will be grateful to you for my whole life. You have been and always will be very special to me and to my family. As Bill Shankly said: ‘Liverpool Football Club exists to win trophies.’ I wish you all the best. Once red, always red.”

In many ways, it’s a fitting end to a career that virtually began with him helping them to silverware just days after joining. And now, as he prepares to walk away quietly, there are few who will deny that he played more than a passing role in helping the Reds on their way to arguably their biggest triumph of all in the form of the Premier League crown.

“I want to win titles,” he declared when he joined. As evidenced by his likeness on the goalkeepers’ mural, he can at least consider that as a mission accomplished.